Explorer 3-row SUV coming in 2025 with 350 miles of range

[Domenick]

*UPDATE: Originally, this thread said the 3-row SUV was an Expedition-like vehicle. Ford has clarified that it was talking about the North American Explorer.
Also, we created this subforum for a future electric Expedition type vehicle, but in light of the clarification, haev changed it to be the subforum for the North American Explorer, which is completely different from the European Explorer, which already has its own subforum.

Doug Field, Chief Officer, EVs and Digital Systems at Ford has stated a three-row SUV will be coming to the line-up in 2025 with 350 miles of range. He shared a pic of how the interior layout would be with passengers (below). This seems to be the same 3-row vehicle Ford CEO Jim Farley mentioned on its earnings call earlier in the month.
A reporter from Automotive News who shared that image (along with one showing what appears to be the next-gen Lightning pickup truck (also below) known internally as Project T3), saying the SUV would be equivalent in size to the Ford Expedition.

It's extremely (extremely!) likely that both of these wil be built at Ford's Blue Oval City that it's currently constructing in Tennessee. *In light of Ford's update, we should clarify that this vehicle will be built at its plant in Oakville, Ontario, though it's still quite probable an SUV built on the next-gen LF-150 Lightning platform will be made at Blue Oval City.

 

[aamyotte]

I used to drive an Expedition, they are great vehicles. I used it to tow a camper and have the room in the vehicle for the kids and 3 dogs. Since we no longer camp, I have a Bronco Sport to suit my current lifestyle.

They need to make a smaller SUV as well. If the Bronco Sport was EV or European Explorer was made here, I would have one in a heartbeat.

I watched Kyle's video on the EV9 yesterday. That SUV is a good size for most people's use case and will be at a better price point to make it more affordable for the masses.

 

[Domenick]

I used to drive an Expedition, they are great vehicles. I used it to tow a camper and have the room in the vehicle for the kids and 3 dogs. Since we no longer camp, I have a Bronco Sport to suit my current lifestyle.

They need to make a smaller SUV as well. If the Bronco Sport was EV or European Explorer was made here, I would have one in a heartbeat.

I watched Kyle's video on the EV9 yesterday. That SUV is a good size for most people's use case and will be at a better price point to make it more affordable for the masses.

I understand they're making an Explorer for the US that is not on the MEB platform, but of course it will be larger than the European Explorer, but smaller than an Expedition.
Ford will have other SUV/crossovers coming, though, to fill in those market niches.

 

[Steven B]

Looks like this vehicle is morphing again. I maybe it will be a plugin with a decent 50 or 60 mile range.

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/nx-s1-5084230/ford-electric-suv-hybrids

 

[insightman]

Looks like this vehicle is morphing again. I maybe it will be a plugin with a decent 50 or 60 mile range.

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/nx-s1-5084230/ford-electric-suv-hybrids

Because Ford wants all their vehicles to achieve profitability within 12 months of launch, I doubt they would put an expensive (and cargo-space limiting) 60-mile battery in the PHEV 3-row Explorer.

“We're seeing a tremendous amount of competition” in the SUV segment, Lawler said. “In fact, S&P Global … said that there's about 143 EVs in the pipeline right now for North America — and most of those are two-row and three-row SUVs.”
...
The change comes as Ford tries to flip the numbers around on EVs. As NPR reported earlier this year, the company has been losing money on every EV it sells. It’s had to scale back sales projections as it prepares for more changes, including an anticipated wave of new Chinese competitors. The company says it’s still working on producing a smaller car, for instance.

I hope Ford can bring back the "smaller car" before China comes and owns the category. As an old guy, I'm perplexed by America's switch to inefficient SUVs. But I drive a MINI EV; what do I know?